Chicken breast is a popular cut thanks to its leanness and versatility. If cooked correctly, the meat can be tender and juicy. However, its lack of fat means it can also be prone to dryness. Buying skin-on chicken breasts offers extra flavour and fat from the skin, which can be crisped up either on the breast or separately, to use as a garnish for a salad, in a sandwich or to top more substantial dishes such as chicken risotto. 

We always recommend buying free-range chicken, due to the welfare concerns associated with cage-reared birds. The flavour of free-range chicken will also be far superior. We mainly consume the Sussex breed in the UK, but there are several other breeds worth looking out for, including the Bresse, Cornish hen and Black Leg.

There are a few simple ways to cook chicken breast without it drying out, including poaching, steaming, pan frying and grilling (among others!) The key to keeping chicken breast succulent and juicy is to make sure you don’t overcook it. An instant read probe thermometer can be helpful here - chicken is fully cooked at 75ºC, which means you should remove it from the heat source at around 72ºC, as the internal temperature will continue to rise a little after cooking.

Brining a chicken breast means you eliminate the chances of dry meat. However, it does need a little advance planning. Brining is a particularly useful technique if you want to deep fry your chicken breast to make a fried chicken sandwich, for example, but it can also be handy for simply ensuring you get perfectly juicy chicken breasts, every time. The quantity of salt needed for a brine is based on a percentage of the total water weight and you will see different percentages used in different recipes. The best way to find your preference is to experiment! Here’s how to make a simple brine for chicken breasts.